BY ADDISALEM MULAT
It is to be recalled that on 4 November 2020 the TPLF junta officials carried out an attack on the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces that has been situated in the Tigray region for several years. What is more, they were determinedly patronizing, coaching, and arming their clique to throw cold water on the democratic transition of the country and backing the nation into a corner.
In the same manner, the TPLF junta officials were persistently sowing the seeds of hatred amid the various Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples of Ethiopia. On top of that, they were sowing the seeds of discord amid Ethiopian Diasporas residing in the left, right, and center of the world in fits and starts.
Even though they worked around the clock intending to remove the federal government from power, all their efforts went for nothing in a short space of time.
In addition to that, the TPLF Junta officials were getting off the track claiming to have espoused their voting law, entrenching their democratic commission, organizing their unlawful voting. In doing so, they have been showing their disdain for the laws of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Following the attack on the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Ethiopians residing at home and abroad began expressing their fury in the twinkling of an eye. In the fullness of time, when the Ethiopian National Defense Forces accomplished the law enforcement operation with flying colors in the shortest possible time, they all felt on top of the world.
As things stand at present, Ethiopian Diasporas residing in various parts of the world have been expressing their joy on the subject of the successful completion of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.
While on the subject, in a press conference which was held at the Geneva Press Club on January 6, 2021, a considerable amount of Ethiopians involved themselves in.
In the press conference, Professor Birhanu Nega, Ethiopian Citizens for social Justice Party leader, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopian Attorney General, Menelik Alemu, Former Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Switzerland, Dr. Daniel Bekele, Commissioner of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, and Kitaw Yayehyirad, Network of Ethiopians in Geneva for Action Taskforce (NEGAT) have taken part.
One of the attendees named Kitaw Yayehyirad said, “I am here as an Ethiopian in the diaspora residing in Geneva. Our group which has organized this press conference in collaboration with the permanent mission of Ethiopia is an independent group of Ethiopian volunteers living here in Geneva.
As concerned Ethiopians residing abroad, we want the betterment of our country, its peace, its stability, and its prosperity. We have tried to contribute towards a sense of lasting peace in our country. So it can pursue its past development and democratization.
Since 2018, Ethiopia has been undergoing a profound transformation that cut across political, economic, and social areas, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy whose efforts were recognized through the award of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Since the operation started in the North, as concerned Ethiopians again, we have seen many misrepresentations in the media often missing the underlying reasons for the obligation to conduct this operation.
Zenebe Kebede, former Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Switzerland said, “The mission was portrayed as endless conflict with a potential of distracting the peace and tranquility of the country and in the whole region. Of course, the highly established high-level Tigray People’s Liberation Front clique helped fuel the fire and distort the fact on the ground.”
Our guest speakers today would eloquently explain and share with you how the TPLF leadership launched a campaign covertly and overtly to undermine the leadership and establish a narrative.
The panelist will also share how despite the various efforts to amicably resolve the matter the TPLF leadership rejected invitations to engage in constructive dialogues in the regrettably rebuke the most revered community and religious leaders and elders.
They will deliberate on how the TPLF leadership caused protracted internal displacement and many deaths in the past two and half years through clandestine nationwide campaign of criminality sponsoring clash and attacking members of the community in a different part of the country.
Professor Birhanu Nega on his part said, “I am speaking today as a leader of an opposition party that will be competing in this coming election and the former opposition rival movement that returned back to Ethiopia following the reform in 2018.”
When I thought about this event since you have Daniel and Gedion talking about the legal and human rights areas I thought I would address very briefly the question of how an opposition political party looks at this conflict in Tigray and what we are looking forward to in the coming month.
To do that I think it would be the right question is how does political opposition look at this conflict and I submit to you that there are four issues that we look at when it comes to responding to this particular conflict. The first is the question of who started the conflict and was there a sufficient attempt at a peaceful resolution on the part of the government.
The Ethiopian Herald 10 January 2021
